Nutrition
Nutrition is the foundation for growth and development. Whether an infant or child eats by mouth or through a feeding tube, good nutrition allows children to thrive. It directly affects a child’s brain activity and capabilities, fine and gross motor skill development, and overall health and wellness.
Click here to view the PFD diagnostic criteria for nutrition disfunction.
Who Can Help Assess And Treat
A registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) addresses growth and nutritional needs.
To find a registered dietitian in your area, visit Feeding Matters’ Provider Directory or the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
What They Do
- Assess a child’s diet to determine if the child is taking the nutrients they need. (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, fluids, calories, etc.)
- May work with a feeding specialist and family to find nutritional food that the child has the skills to eat.
- Work with a physician or other team members to create a well-tolerated diet, which could include a wide range of formulas and/or a homemade blenderized diet.
- Incorporate the family’s lifestyle, religious and cultural beliefs into the diet.
- Help a child feed orally, by providing ongoing monitoring and assistance to increase oral intake and decrease tube dependence, done in collaboration with the full pediatric feeding team.
- Provide input as the team works with the child.